Dentists' drill

Getting to the root of health solutions for the state

Editor, The Times:

It is tragic that dental decay, a preventable disease, is affecting the readiness of our troops ("Dental problems hurting soldiers' readiness," Times page one, May 21). The dental problems described certainly are not unique to Guardsmen; rather, they are indicative of a widespread health problem in our state.

Too many people without health insurance, adults and children, find it difficult to access preventive dental services. The result is an increase in oral disease, higher health-care costs and missed opportunities. The consequences of oral disease are significant. Poor oral health impacts a child's ability to learn, and it affects employment and overall health for adults.

Oral disease is a preventable progressive disease that can be stopped or even reversed in the early stages. Instead of preventing disease, too often we end up treating it — adding to the burden on hospital and safety-net providers, and increasing the costs to taxpayers.

The least-expensive and most-effective solution is increased prevention through water fluoridation and increased access to preventive care.

We all benefit when people who live in our community are healthy and are able to carry out their responsibilities at home and abroad.

— Bob Crittenden, M.D., chief, Family Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle

Model on brass outlays

It is shocking that 30 percent of Washington state National Guard troops called up last year were unfit for deployment overseas because of dental problems. But to those of us involved in providing health-care services to lower-income people, it comes as no surprise.

The scarcity of affordable dental services is the No. 1 health-care-access problem in Washington state. For every person in our state who lacks medical insurance, there are 3.5 people who lack dental insurance.

The last session of the Legislature produced mixed results in this area. On the positive side, funding for dental services for adults on Medicaid was preserved at current levels. On the negative side, state grants for community clinics providing dental (as well as medical) services to uninsured adults were cut 22 percent.

It is great that the Army is going to put more money into dental access for the National Guard. Perhaps this could be the wake-up call needed to provide for the rest of our citizens in the way that most countries do.

— Mark Secord, executive director, Puget Sound Neighborhood Health Centers, Seattle

Not biting

As one who advocates for national health care, I would also support a national dental-health plan.

I do find it objectionable that a notable portion of reservists rely solely on the $125-$500 salary they receive from the Guard. I presume that if they are fit enough to serve in the Reserves, they are fit enough to find employment and thus able to afford a minimal premium.

These soldiers, along with the remainder of those within the 30 percent with severe dental problems, do our state and our nation a disservice. They do not have my sympathy.

— Stephen Schwab, Seattle

Open wider

The government spends millions of dollars on extensive dental care for its soldiers who, off-duty, can't afford dental insurance to visit the dentist for basic cleanings and check-ups or aren't offered insurance through their employer because it is too expensive for them to offer it. These soldiers then aren't able to receive preventative oral care and usually wait until it reaches a point of severity.

Studies have shown that periodontal disease is linked to heart disease, stroke, preterm births and respiratory illness. The government has to spend a lot of money trying to fix the problem.

Treatments can be very expensive and more money goes into trying to fix the problem than if basic care had been provided to begin with.

The government should focus on coverage of basic services rather than spending money on fixing the bigger problem. In the long run, this will save more money, which is all the government really wants, isn't it?

— Mayra Carrillo (UW student), Seattle

Army drill

Mouth that distorts

So John Leo thinks it's disgraceful that there is "a deep anti-military bias in the media, one that begins from the premise that the military must be lying" ["Media's anti-military bias a recipe for mistakes," syndicated column, May 25]. How could members of the press come to believe in such a premise? Perhaps it is because the military has a history of lying and obfuscation, such as:

• Providing a factious account of Pfc. Jessica Lynch's capture, stating she engaged in a fire fight until running out of ammunition, sustained multiple gunshots and killed several Iraqi soldiers. After her rescue, doctors reported she hadn't been shot; and according to Lynch, "My weapon jammed, I did not shoot."

• Despite knowing within days Army Ranger Pat Tillman had been killed by friendly fire, Army officials: put out the story that he died in a fire fight with Taliban members; destroyed critical evidence; initially concealed the truth from Tillman's brother, also an Army Ranger; and decided not to inform Tillman's family or the public regarding the facts of Tillman's death until weeks after a nationally televised memorial service.

• Denying to Congress that the military hid unregistered detainees at Abu Ghraib prison, but later acknowledging two cases in which it had happened, including that of one detainee who died in custody and another who was kept without registration at the behest of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

Based on the above, I can understand why the press is skeptical regarding information provided by the military.

— Michael Sobieck, Seattle

Empirical drill

Seeing is believing

I have only one question for Peter Thalhofer ("Evolving thought: Use the brains God gave you," Northwest Voices, May 24) or any other creationist: Do you have proof of God? Really, I'm not kidding.

Do you have real, tangible proof of God? Or, do you just have mousetrap stories? Because if you do have proof of God, then you are responsible for the greatest scientific discovery of all time.

But if you don't — and I'm guessing that you don't — then your faith or your philosophy or whatever you conservatives are calling it today doesn't belong in a science class. It belongs in a class on faith. It belongs in a class on philosophy.

There is proof for evolution. The proof was peer-reviewed. The proof was found to be irrefutable. Through this process, the hypothesis of evolution became the theory of evolution.

Now if any conservative wants to refute the theory of evolution, that's fine. We liberals, using the brains God gave us, welcome the challenge. You know the process. You gave us your hypothesis. Now, show us the proof.

— William Crozer, Federal Way

Cheap thrill

Broad beyond windows

Regarding "City task force wants broadband to reach all homes" [Local News, May 25]: Speaking as a techno-geek, what Seattle needs to compete is a School District that is focused on basic education and can live within its means; evenly paved roads that are actually an improvement over dirt roads; and an approach toward business that encourages, rather than penalizes, free enterprise.

Until this happens, all you'll get for a lot of broadband is a lot of porn.

— Aodhan Hoffman, Tukwila